- In 2022, U.N. negotiators set a timetable to finalize a global plastics treaty by the end of 2024.
- That hope was dashed on Dec. 1 at the United Nations summit in Busan, South Korea, as a few oil petrostates and plastic-producing nations (seeking a voluntary treaty focused on waste reduction) blocked 100-plus higher-ambition nations (seeking a binding treaty with limits on plastic production).
- However, many parties feel that a strong agreement can still be reached, and say there’s good reason for hope: In Busan, participating nations agreed to a 22-page “Chair’s Text” for the treaty that will serve as the starting point for negotiations at a resumed session in 2025, perhaps as early as May.
- But much remains to be worked out, especially concerning limits on plastic production, proposed bans on some toxic chemicals used in plastics, a phaseout of some single-use plastic products, and more. A key sticking point is the question of who will pay for the treaty’s implementation and ongoing enforcement.
“Just wait till next year!” goes the slogan often attributed to disappointed sports fans. Those same words could equally apply to proponents of an internationally binding U.N. agreement to phase out plastic pollution; they’ll now need to wait at least till next year to try and achieve that goal.
The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution this month failed to meet its self-imposed deadline to approve final plastics treaty language by the end of 2024. Instead, at its fifth major session, known as INC-5, conducted Nov. 25 to Dec. 1 in Busan, South Korea, the parties remained deadlocked.
In the end, with the summit running into overtime, the great divide couldn’t be crossed. Oil- and plastics-producing nations (including Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, Iran and India), refused to compromise on their demands for a voluntary accord only covering plastic reuse and recycling. The majority of nations — more than 100 in total — held out for a binding treaty mandating reductions in plastic production and restricting use of certain toxic chemicals.
The Busan meeting was the fifth major international negotiation session in a fast-tracked process that began in 2022 to address the global plastics pollution crisis. More than 3,300 participants attended the INC-5 summit, including delegates from more than 170 nations and 440 observers.
Environmentalists and delegates from the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution representing 68 nations (counting the European Union as one) headed home disappointed but hopeful for progress, and maybe a treaty breakthrough, in 2025. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has announced that negotiations will resume at an unspecified time and place next year, possibly in May.
“INC-5 has moved us closer to a Plastics Treaty,” UNEP executive director Inger Andersen stated on X at the summit’s end. “As ongoing divergence remains in critical areas, INC-5 has adjourned to allow for more time for these areas to be addressed.” She said she confidently expects a deal to be reached in 2025, at what has been dubbed INC-5.2 to avoid reopening procedural questions.
Progress in Busan
The road to INC-5.2
The International Negotiating Committee has still not clearly determined how many votes will be needed to finalize treaty language next year. But some campaigners warn that there could be risks to not joining with the 100-plus nations pushing for a strong binding treaty. If oil-rich petrostates and plastic-producing nations decline to sign, they could lose their markets with those nations that do sign. Major producers, such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, India and Iran, could veto efforts to control chemicals or production. But “if there’s no one buying, there’s not much they can do about that,” Hocevar said.
One big unanswered question remains: Who will pay for the final agreement’s implementation? “This treaty will probably fail if donor nations like the U.S. fail to step up,” Hocevar noted. WWF’s Simon commented that “it will require a lot of money.” The Chair’s Text merely lists possibilities, such as “polymer fees (and) extended producer responsibility schemes.” It suggests that “donor” or “developed” countries may pay “recipient” or “developing” nations to help meet treaty goals.
One current draft paragraph offers this direction: “Parties, in particular those with the financial capacity to do so and high levels of [mismanaged plastic waste,] plastic production, or polymer production, are expected to contribute to the Mechanism, on a voluntary basis from their public funding.”
A levy of less than 1% of the price of plastics could go a long way toward financing implementation, suggested Bjorn Beeler, executive director and international coordinator at the International Pollutants Elimination Network.
Many who have been part of the treaty negotiation process weren’t surprised by the failure to get an agreement done by the end of 2024, and some say maybe UNEP expected too much too soon. “This is a very complex issue,” Beeler noted. “First it was about cleaning up the oceans and beaches.” Then delegates realized they had to deal with production and toxic chemicals. Also, much time was spent at earlier meetings dealing with procedural and structural matters instead of core treaty issues.
Beeler also believes a longer road lies ahead. “I don’t think we’ll get it done at INC-5.2.” he said. “My guess is there will be one or two more meetings before we know what things look like.”
*** This article https://news.mongabay.com/2024/12/deadlocked-plastic-treaty-talks-will-lead-to-renewed-negotiations-in-2025/ is with permission from Mongabay.
